Bill's Woodshop, Sawmill, and Lumber, Georgetown, TX
BUILDING A CUSTOM MESQUITE TABLE
The first step is to drive 60 miles in the old truck in the background of the first picture and pick up the log with the winch and put it on the trailer, bring it home, put it on the swmill and saw it into 2 1/4" slabs. This is a Mesquite log about 11 1/2' long and about 20" in diameter.
Once sawn, the wood must be dried. My solar kiln was in use when I got this log so I started out air-drying it for about a month and then I put it in the solar kiln for another 3 months
When the wood is dry it is time to start building and with mesquite there is a lot of epoxy work to do. This table needed 4 1/2 gallons of epoxy to fill the cracks and stabilize the pithy areas. Then it is time to glue the top and then flatten it. I used a technique called router planing. Any straight bit will work but the bigger the better--I am using a 2" bit and made 3 passes taking about 1" per cut (1/8" deep. End result: 38-48" wide, 10' long 1 7/8" thick
Once everything was epoxy filled and sanded, it was time to put it together and see if everything fit. It went together nicely. And did I say that this thing is heavy.
*I logged 112 hours working on this table over a six week time period, not including many hours of help from friends
99 ½ hours were spent grinding the bark and sapwood off, planing, epoxying, assembling and sanding the table, 12 ½ hours finishing it
*4 ½ gallons of epoxy were used to fill the cracks and voids and stabilize the punky areas. A quart of thin super glue was also used to solidify the punkiest areas prior to filling with epoxy
*8 coats of Waterlox were applied to all surfaces (approximately a gallon total) These were applied by hand, rubbed in, then wiped off, building the lustrous finish. After the final coat, the top was hand rubbed with 0000 steel wool, sanded through 1500grit sandpaper and then buffed
(Time-wise, 16 coats were applied because once 8 coats were applied and dry all the parts were turned over the other side was finished with 8 coats.)
 Big+log+on+mill+904.JPGLog loaded on the mill ready to start sawing |  first+cut+906.JPGFirst cut made--slab of bark removed |  2+sides+cut+910.JPG2 inch thick boards for the table top are being removed |
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 Bookmatch+A+911.JPGThe first boards are laid down on the air dry rack to start drying. This is the bookmatched set that will be used on either side of the table top |  Air-dry Stack+920.JPGOnce sawn, the wood must be dried. My solar kiln was in use when I got this log so I started out air-drying it for about a month and then I put it in the solar kiln for another 3 months |  bases+and+tressel+epoxied160.JPGThe wood is dry and the cracks and rotten areas are being filled with epoxy with black tint |
 bottom+of+table+top++epoxied+and+glued+up165.JPGWhen the wood is dry it is time to start building and with mesquite there is a lot of epoxy work to do. This table needed 4 1/2 gallons of epoxy to fill the cracks and stabilize the pithy areas. |  Router planing table top 195.JPGThen it is time to glue the top and then flatten it. I used a technique called router planing. Any straight bit will work but the bigger the better--I am using a 2" bit and made 3 passes taking about 1" per cut (1/8" deep. End result: 38-48" wide, 10' long 1 7/8" thick |  Router planing 197.JPG |
 top 199.JPGThe top has been flattened |  mesquite+table,+rw263.jpgOnce everything was epoxy filled and sanded, it was time to put it together and see if everything fit. It went together nicely. And did I say that this thing is heavy. |  mesquite+table,+rw260.jpgBase pedestal showing wedge mortice and tenon |
 Mesqauite+Table,+RW271.JPGI have just applied the first coat of Waterlox to the bottom of the top. |  Mesquite+Table,+RW273.JPGLooking pretty good--4 more coats and then turn it over and do the top of the top. The yellow color is due to bad lighting/poor photography. After allowing the finish to soak in I have wiped all the excess off at this stage. |  Mesquite+Table,+RW261.JPGThis is the bottom of the top |
 mesquite+table,+rw262.jpgBoth pedestals and stretcher |  Mesquite+Table,+RW209.JPGThe first coat has been applied to the bases and the stretcher. This is a truer color rendition. |  Mesquite+Table,+RW210.JPG |
 mesquite+table,+finishing+top+7.jpgThe top from the other end |  mesquite+table,+rw274.jpgThe first coat has been applied to the bases and the stretcher. This is a truer color rendition. |  mesquite+table,+finishing+top+5.jpgAll parts of the table now have 8 coats of waterlox on them and it is ready to buff |
 mesquite+table,+finishing+top+8.jpgClose up of the top |  mesquite+table,+finishing+wedge+tenon+14.jpgThe wedge tenon with pin that will allow the stretcher to be positioned natureal edge ujp or down |  mesquite+table,+finishing+bases+16.jpgThe bases with through mortice for the stretcher |
 mesquite+table,+finishing+stretcher+10.jpgStretcher with natural edge |  mesquite+table+underside_5719.JPGA view from underneath |  Hammer+to+drive+in+wedges_5738.JPGHammer given to client to drive home the wedges |
 mesquite+table+with+bowls_5724.JPGThe table is now finished and delivered. I also turned two mesquite bowls for the client. All this wood was from his tree from his ranch |  mesquite+table+with+bowls_5727.JPGThe table is now finished and delivered. I also turned two mesquite bowls for the client. All this wood was from his tree from his ranch |  mesquite+table+with+bowls_5732.JPG*I logged 112 hours working on this table over a six week time period, not including many hours of help from friends 99 ½ hours were spent grinding the bark and sapwood off, planing, epoxying, assembling and sanding the table, 12 ½ hours finishing it *4 ½ gallons of epoxy were used to fill the cracks and voids and stabilize the punky areas. A quart of thin super glue was also used to solidify the punkiest areas prior to filling with epoxy *8 coats of Waterlox were applied to all surfaces (a |